Wave and tide motor.



J. R. ABBOTT. -WAVE AND TIDE MOTOR. APPLIQATION FILED JULY 18,1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

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WAVE AND TIDE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, 19 13.

PatentedMay 26, 1914.

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WAVE AND TIDE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 18.1913.

1,098,208. Patented May 26, 1914.

zl'" I v JAMES E. ABBOTT, OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA.

WAVE AND TIDE MGTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 18, 1913. Serial No. 779,837.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES R. A BOTT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at v St. Petersburg, in the county of Pinellas and State of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Wave and Tide Motors, of which the following is a specification. 7

This invention relates to a wave motorand has for an object to provide a device of this character which will. be very efficient in operation, which will be simplein construction and strong so as to endure heavy storms or tidal waves, and which will occupy a very small amount of space.

A further object is to provide, in a device of this class, a vertically reciprocating float which is adapted to be acted upon by the force of the waves, means for connecting the float to a power transmission device, and further means by which the float may be rendered inoperative wheneverdesired, and

which will obviate danger of the device being destroyed or injured during a storm or tidal wave.

Another object is to provide simple and particularly efficient transmission means for causing continuous rotation of a shaft upon reciprocation of the float element.

The invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in use; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a top plan view, showing one of the movable clutch members and the operating member therefor in operative position; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the power transmission mechanism showing the movable clutch members in their intermediate position while being shifted; Fig. 5is a similar view showing the opposite movable clutch member and operating memher in inoperative position; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the devic nshowing the means for locking the reciprocating float element inino-perative position. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the movable clutch members; Fig. 8 is a similar view of the other movable clutch member; and, Fig. 9 is a vertical sectionalview taken in line 99 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 designate the relatively spaced, vertical piles between which the float element 3 is mounted for verticalreciprocation. This float element includes a buoyant body 4, which is preferably barrel-shaped, and a vertically extending, operating standard 5 attached thereto as at 6. The body 4 is pro- Patented May 26, 1914.1

vided upon each side with a vertically dis posed rib 4, which is slidably mounted within the groove 8 of the guide bar 9 mounted upon the inner face of the adjacent pile and longitudinally disposed with respect thereto. The vertical standard 5 is preferably rectangular in cross section and has its upper end slidably mounted with the rectangular guide opening 10 provided in a cap plate 11 secured fixedly to the upper ends of the piles 1 and 2. In order to render the connection between the plate 11 and the said piles more rigid, the braces 12 may be employed to connect the same.

A horizontally disposed, transverse operating shaft 13 is journaled in suitable bearings ll attached to the front faces of the piles adjacent the upper ends thereof and in suitable proximity to the horizontal support 15 for; the power transmission mechanism, which support is in this instance the flooring of a pier or wharf. This shaft 13 is provided centrally with a fixedly attached, toothed pinion 16 which is in mesh with a rack bar 17 secured to the outer face of the operating standard 5. In order to effectively maintain the rack bar 17 in constant engagement with the pinion 16, I have provided a transverse guide bar 18 connecting the piles 1 and 2 adjacent the shaft 13, and which is-provided on itsfront face with a pair of relatively spaced guide plates 19, which latter are adapted to embrace the side faces of the standard 5 and have pivoted therebetween an anti-friction roller 20 for engagement with the rear face of the said standard opposite to the pinion 16.

Thus far it will be seen that I have provided a vertically reciprocating float element, which is adapted to be lifted by the force of the waves as they pass beneath the same and which is permitted to gravitate into its lowermost position after each wave are connecte'l to a pair of horizontally reciprocating operating members 23 and 24,

which are slidably mounted within the guides 25, by means of the connecting rods 26 and 27 respectively, which are pivotally a connected to the said operatin members by means'of the wrist pins 28 am 29. In prbviding a device of thisicharacter for use in connection with heavy seas such as on an ocean pier, it will be desirable to construct the device as heavy and massive as is con: sistcnt with the work to be performed there by. Such construction, however, may be resorted to without departing from the general scope of the ii'iventiou.

A second, drive sha it 30 is journaled within suitable bearings 31 carried by the support 15, and is disposed in spaced parallel relation to the operating crank shaft 13. This shaft 30 is provided on both sides of the parallel operatingmembers 23 and 24,

which extend above the same, with fixed clutch members 32 and 33, having oppositely raking teeth 34 upon their inner side faces. Each of these teeth 34 includes a beveled thrusting face 35 and a longitudinal receptive face 36 for a purpose which will be presently described. A pair of coacting, movable clutch members 37 and 38 is mounted for rotary slidable movement upon the shaft 30 and between the fixed clutch members. The meeting ends of the members 37 and 38 are cut at right angles as at 39 and adapted for frictional engagcmentwith each other. In order to reduce the friction between these members, a plurality ofiantifriction balls 40 are mounted within an ai'mular retainer 41 upon the inner end. face of one of the members and are adapted to engage within a race way 42 provided upon the ad jacent face of the other member. Both clutch members are provided on their outer peripheries with the longitudinal pinion teeth 43, which are adapted for ei'igagei'nent with the lon itudinal rack teeth 44 provided upon the hilt er faces of the operating members 23 and 24. The movable clutch members are pro vided upon their outer side faces with the oppositely raking teeth 45. Each tooth 45 has a beveled receptive face 46 adapted to be engagedby the beveled tln'usting face of one of the teeth'ou the adjacent fixed clutch member, and with a longitudinal actuating face 47 adapted for engagement with the It is now necessary to prorece live face of one of the teeth Tlpon the said clutch member. The space between the members 28 ;and .24 is such that operatinlg they wil always be in en agement with their respective moyable clntc members, and the 4 distance of longitudinal play allowed the movable clutch member taken as a unit is equal to slightly more than the 10 'tudin il width of t e tdeth upon one of t e fixed clutch members.

gagementwith the corresponding fired clutch member, the side teet of the other movable 'clutch member will 'ust clear the teethuporilits adjacent fixed c utch member. so I In the operation of the device, as the float element is lifted by a wave, 0 'illatory'move 'ment; or variable rotar movement will be, imparted, to the operating crank shaft 13 thus causing reciprocation of UPUIhIOfCIQIlCG to Fig. 3, and assuming that theioperatmg members 23and 24 are moving in the direction of the arrows A and B, res 'iectiv ely, it will be seen thatthe meln- 00 her 24 will cause rotation of thccorresponding movable clutch member 38, andiconscquentlythe fixed clutch member 33, in the direction of tlie arrow 0, thus causing rota tion of the shaft 30 in the same direction, 96

'due to the engagement of the actuating.

'faces 47 of the side teeth 45 upon the movable cliitch member 38 with the receptive faces ,36 of the teeth provided on the corresponding fixed clutch member 33. During this 100 operation the movable clutch member 37 is being rotated in reverse directionto the elutch member 38 and is working ree upon the shaft 30--ivith sufficient clearance from the fixed clutch member 32.

In Fig; 4, the operating members 23 and 24 are shown as moving in reverse directions as indicated by the arrows, thus cansing relative rotation to themovable clutch inembers37 and 38 in reverse directions. 11

This figure shows the operating members as just starting upon their reverse movement, and the movable clutch member 38 is shown as being forced laterally due to engagement iof the beveled thrusting faces of the teeth upon the fixed clutch member 33 with the beveled receptive faces of its sideteeth. This lateral thrust which is imparted to the movable clutch member 38by meml'icr 37 to be thrust in the same direction so as to bring its side teeth into ongagement with the teeth upon the flxed' clutch member 32 as shown in Fig, 5. It

will thus be seen that each of the operating members is operative during movement in one direction only, and that the movable clutch members are shifted laterally during each change in movement of the operating members, so as to cause continuous rotation Thus, when one of the 15 movable clutch membersis in operative enhe operating 85 members 23 and 24 in opposite directions:-

the fixed clutch member 33 causes the movable clutch drive belt, or the said drive shaft may be connected in' any other suitable manner with the-machinery which is to be driven by the same. I

It is at times desirable to-render the wave motor inoperatitegand especially necessary, at the time of a storm or tidal wave to] cause the float element to be secured in a position wherein it will not be shaken and torn to pieces by the fury of the waves. To meet such conditions, I have provided a movable dog 49 which is adapted 'whose locking tooth. 51 is adapted to be held by gravity in engagement with the ratchetteeth 52provided in the rear face of the operating standard 5. These teeth extend for only portion of the width of the said standard and 1e, ve the plane hearing if oes 53 at each side thereof for engagement with the antifriction roller carried by the said guide bar. The dog it) is provided with a counterbalancing arm 5st which will cause the tooth 51 to be maintained in inoperative position, after being thrown into the same by manual operation thereof.- Thus, when the dog it) is operated so as to bring its tooth 51 into engagement with the ratchet. teeth 52 upon the standard 5, the float will be held suspended in its elevated position as caused by the passage of the next succeeding wave.

Higherwaves will merely serve to force the float to a. higher elevation, wnerein it will be securely retained by the locking dog.

In order to prevent any destructive jarring movement of the float element when suspended atjts highest limit, a block 55 of elastic material is secured to the guide bar 18 at one side of the standard and a vertically disposed helical spring ,56 is attachedto the end thereof for engagement with a lateral lug 57 provided upon the adjacent side face of the standard. This composite buffer member will be compressed as the float element is forced into its limit position, "and will thus act against 50 the dog 49 (so as to eifectiv ly prevent vertical jarring movement of the float element. d-lienit is desired to render the device -again operative, it/is merely necessary to operate the fly wheel 48 in the proper-di- 55 rection to cause the standard 5 to lifted sufliciently to permit the dog $9 to rated manually,'so as to remove its lQellll'ifi tooth 51' from engagement with the ratchet- 52 of the-'desilient float element.

60 From; the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that I have pro ided a simply constructed and compact ware motor, which will be very e lcient in 65 operation, and which may be manufactured ,to be pivoted; at to the guide bar 18, and

This motor is also its ctuistruction, to arms, tidal waves, and a device of this cred.

Fin-at is claimed is: 1. A wave motor comprising relatively spaced vertical guides, a float element mounted for vertical reciprocation between the said guides, means operatively associl with said element for converting the reciprocating r ,emcnt thereof into-rotary movement, and means by which said elei'neut n1; we lot-lied automatically in the highestposition which it attains as caused by the action of the \var .31 wave motor comprising relatively spaced vrtical guides, a float elementmounted for vertical reciprocation between the said guides, means operatirely associated with said element for converting the re iprocating movement thereof into rotary i.-.io' ;e1nent, means by which said element may be locked automaticallv in the highest ,5 s Hill which it attains as caused by the acti of the wares and yieldable means for res g the action'of the waves as exerted in an upward dire tion when too piston element is in its inoperative position.

3. A wave motor comprising parallel vertical guides, a float element mounted for vertical re rocation between said guides and includin 1 ant body and a vertical operating st lard a tached thereto, a horizontal operating shaft rot'atably mounted upon said guides, a toothed pinion fixedlyattached to said shaft, a rack bar mounted upon said stand-rd and in mesh with the said pinion, a stationary support, a drive shaft rotatably mounted upon said support, neans connecting said shaft with the operating shaft to cause continuous rptary movement of the drive shaft during variable movement of the operating shaft, downwardly raking ratchet teeth provided upon said float standard, and a locking dog attached to the said guide and adapted to be moved into engagementwith said ratchet teeth.

wave motor comprising parallel vertlcal guides, float elementmounted for vertical reciprocation between said guides and shaft rotatatlv 11 means connecting said shaft with the operating shaft to cause continuous rotary movement of the drive shaft curing variable movement of the opera-ting shaft, downwardly raking ratchet teeth provided upon said float-standard, a locking dog attached. to-the said guide and adapted to be moved into engagement with said ratchet teeth,- a laterally engagin lug provided upon said standard, and resi ient means attached to the said guides for en agement with-the upr face of said lug w en the float element is in elevated position. '5. A wave motor comprising a su )port, a verticall movable float element, a orizontal cran shaft journaled in the support, means connecting the said shaft with the float whereby oscillatory movement of the former' will be caused by reciprocation of the float, the said crank shaft being con- 'stru'cted to provide a pair of opposed cranks, a pair of oppositely movable reciprocating bars connected operatively with the respec tive cranks, "a toothed rack provided upon corresponding faces of both of said bars, a horizontal drive shaft rotatably mounted upon the support in arallel relation to the crank shaft, a pair-o longitudinallyspaccd clutch members fixedly mounted upon the drive shaft, correspondingly raking. teeth provided, upon the adjacentfaces of the said clutch members, each tooth having; radial face and a circumferentially inclined face intersecting the same at an acute angle, a pair of independently movable cluth members rotatably and slidably mounted upon the drive shaft between the fixed clutch members, the adjacent end faces of the said movable clutch members being adapted to bear against each other, correspondingly rakin teeth similar to the teeth of the fixed clutci members provided upon the outer end faces of the movable clutch members, the teeth of the movable clutch members being oppositely disposed with respect to the teeth of the fixed clutch memteeth of one movable clutch member being adapted to clear the teeth of the adjacent fixed clutch member when the teeth of the companion clutch member are in close mesh with the teeth of the opposite fixed clutch member, the said reciprocating bars liming tangentially disposed with respect to the retspe aiiv'e movable clutch members, and gear teeth. provided upon the outer peripheij of each movable clutch member for engagement with the rack teeth 01 the correspond: ing bar.

In t in presence of ion whereof I aflix my signature two witues' :i

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five ents each,

Washing-tor, it

bers and being engageable therewith, the 

